Paige Pellaton, PhD

Student Letters of Recommendation

If you have taken a class with me, been an advisee, served as my teaching or research assistant, or participated in a university club I supervise, I am generally happy to write you a recommendation letter for graduate school, law school, internships, or jobs. However, letters take time to craft, and I may not always be the best person to write one—especially if we have had limited interactions.

When choosing your letter writers, consider:

  1. Depth of Our Interactions – A strong letter comes from someone who can speak in detail about your work, character, and intellectual potential. Simply earning an A in one of my lecture-heavy courses may not be enough and may result in a more generic endorsement.
  2. Your Reputation – The most effective references come from those who can speak highly of your performance and sustained effort over multiple interactions. I generally do not recommend requesting a letter from me if you earned below an 80% (B-) in any of my classes, if you were frequently absent from class, if you often submitted assignments late, or if you did not attend my Office Hours during the semester.
  3. Diversity of Perspectives – Seek recommenders who can highlight different aspects of your skills and experiences. For example, if you’re headed to law school, you might request a letter from me to discuss your research skills and a letter from your ethics professor to speak to your integrity. If you’re applying for a civil service job, I might be a good candidate to highlight your experience writing public policy briefs, but you may also want another recommender to address your background in statistics.

Timeline and Approach

To ensure you receive the strongest letter possible, please submit your request at least three weeks before your earliest deadline. Requests must be made in writing via email (paige.pellaton@unf.edu). I highly recommend following up with an in-person appointment to discuss your application. This allows you to share more about the organization or program you’re applying to and highlight key strengths of your application.

If I’ve agreed to write your letter, please send me:

  1. Details and due date(s) for the program(s) or job(s) you are applying to.
  2. Any forms I need to submit with your letter.
  3. Your application materials, including:
    • An updated CV or résumé.
    • Your Cover Letter and/or Statement of Interest.
    • Your Writing Sample (if applicable).
  4. Professional details about your other letter writers.
  5. Information on our prior interactions, such as courses you’ve taken with me or major projects completed under my supervision.
  6. A brief note on:
    • The strengths you believe I can highlight in your letter.
    • Any weaknesses in your application and how I might address them, if needed.

Reminders and Updates

Do NOT be shy about reminding me about your due dates as they approach, and please let me know how your application cycle goes! Good luck!